Friday, August 3, 2007

If you don’t watch VH1, or have never heard of Flavor Flav, then today’s post headline isn’t funny. Come to think of it, even if you do know what I’m referring to, it still may not be that funny. Anyway, today’s post’s title is a take-off on the wildly popular VH1 reality show “The Flavor of Love” starring Flavor Flav. While I’m a huge Public Enemy fan, I’ve never been able to watch more than a few seconds of Flava’s television show. The cringe factor is off the charts for me. It’s right up there with Nancy Grace and Jerry Springer. I’m a Chef, not a TV critic, but how anyone can watch that show is beyond my comprehension. To be clear, I’m not judging you negatively if you are a fan of the show, hey, I was crushed when they cancelled Pirate Master! I’m just saying I can’t watch it, I don’t get it, and I think it may be the worse TV show ever made. OK, back to the fava beans!

This salad is so delicious, so refreshing, so satisfying, and so easy, that you must try it. Yesterday, I showed you how to prep your fava beans for a recipe. Today I show you why all that work was so worthwhile. One key to this very simple combination is letting it chill in the fridge for a few hours to marry all the flavors. You can substitute parsley or basil for the mint, but I beg you to try it with the mint, which is just amazing with these flavors. There is something about the taste of fava beans that the mint really brings out like no other herb. Enjoy, or as I’m sure Flava Flav would say if he tasted this, “Yeah Boyeeeee!”

14 oz jar of butter beans, rinsed and well drained1 1/2 cup prepped fava beans (see previous demo!)1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper2 tbl chopped fresh mint1 clove garlic1/2 to 1 lemon4 tbl olive oilsalt and pepper to taste (this salad will be “flat” if you don’t salt it sufficiently, I used about a teaspoon at least)*red pepper flakes are also a nice addition if you want more heat.